Full Milwaukee County Board OKs cannabis legalization advisory referendum for November ballot

The Milwaukee County Board today passed Resolution 18-333 by a 15-1 vote, placing the non-binding referendum on legalizing cannabis before Milwaukee County voters in this fall’s general election on Nov. 6.

16th District Supervisor John Weishan Jr., sponsor of the resolution that would place a cannabis legalization advisory referendum on county ballots Nov. 6, 2018,

The resolution, sponsored by 16th District Supervisor John Weishan Jr., previously cleared the Board’s Judiciary committee in a unanimous 5-0 vote May 5. Weishan led off the discussion by noting the support from diverse members of the community at the May 5 committee meeting. Several supervisors brought up the opioid crisis the state is experiencing and noted cannabis is a tool for treating opioid addiction and abuse. The racial disparities of cannabis prohibition were also cited.

A number of other board members signed on as sponsors of the resolution.

Milwaukee County voters will find this question on their ballots:

“Do you favor allowing adults 21 years of age and older to engage in the personal use of marijuana, while also regulating commercial marijuana-related activities, and imposing a tax on the sale of marijuana?”

According to the county fiscal note accompanying the resolution, the addition of the question to ballots will cost $15,000, which will come from the Election Commission’s contingency fund. The expenditure is definitely worth it and will bring more voters to the polls for the mid-term elections.